Exploring Resilience and Ambition in 'Lady Tan's Circle of Women' by Lisa See

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'Lady Tan's Circle of Women' by Lisa See is a surprising and heart-wrenching tale of Lady Tan, a woman who fights against all odds to become a doctor in ancient China.

I first started reading this book right before my most recent trip to Malaysia for a week and finished it on the way back. While for some, this may not be an impressive feat, for me, it was the fastest I had ever read a book since I was a teenager.

The story line is an emotional rollercoaster from the beginning, and See expertly crafts her characters effortlessly into the backdrop of Ming dynasty China. We journey through Lady Tan's life, from her formative childhood lessons with her mother about how to become a good wife, to her doctor training from her grandmother. It felt unreal by the time I arrived at the final chapter as Lady Tan approached her 'sitting quietly days' - days of grey hairs and achy bones.

Be prepared to be thrown into the unfamiliar world and culture of Ming dynasty China. Even as a Chinese person myself, there were many ancient traditions and beliefs that no longer exist today that are foundational to Lady Tan's story. Not only was it educational, but I felt pulled into a whole different world, remnants of which could still be seen today.

The most powerful part of See's story is that the struggles that Lady Tan faced are still challenges that exist in modern society today worldwide. The difficulty of balancing the roles of motherhood with following one's passions is a universal experience that seems to have outlived time. While we can celebrate the social and cultural changes that have taken place since Lady Tan's time, her story provided a moment of reflection. How much have we changed as a society to provide an equal life for men and women? Where are we getting stuck and how should we move forward?

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